Psychiatric News (11/10) reports, “As drones’ use in surveillance and combat rises, so does a new type of posttraumatic illness: ‘dronophobia.’” Joseph L. Bonvie, of Massachusetts General Hospital, and colleagues wrote in the Primary Care Companion for CNS Disorders, “Individuals who have experienced a drone strike, particularly those injured by one, are at heightened risk for developing persistent psychological symptoms, a vulnerability intensified by the ongoing threat of repeated attacks.” The authors said, “Addressing the psychological and societal consequences of drone warfare necessitates a comprehensive, integrated, multidisciplinary strategy. … Managing drone-related trauma requires ongoing mental health support that should include family involvement, sustained surveillance, and community-based programs.”

Related Links:

— “Drone-Induced Anxiety: An Emerging Form of Combat Trauma, Psychiatric News, November 10, 2025

CNN (11/10, Christensen) reports that in the US, “homicide is the No. 1 way pregnant women die, research has showed, but a new study finds that they are even more vulnerable than other women of childbearing age when there’s a gun involved.” The research “looked at more than 7,000 homicides of women of childbearing age between 2018 and 2021.” Investigators found that pregnant women “have a 37% higher firearm homicide rate than women who weren’t pregnant, and more than two-thirds of pregnancy-associated homicides involved firearms.” The study also “showed that every 1% increase in state-level firearm ownership was associated with a 6% increase in all-cause homicide and an 8% increase in the firearm-specific homicide rate in pregnant women, even after adjusting for other factors.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Women face a much higher risk of homicide, especially from guns, during pregnancy,”Jen Christensen, CNN, November 10, 2025

The Washington Post (11/6, Wu) reports that “AI-powered chatbots have been blamed for upending the mental health of vulnerable users,” but some “licensed therapists who have tested the technology think it’s a helpful emotional tool in limited cases, and they also sometimes turn to chatbots to help with their own mental health needs.” These therapists “said they were wary of treating mental health challenges with chatbots, and most agreed that it should only be used as a supplement to professional therapy, with a therapist’s guidance – and that perhaps having training as therapists themselves is what allowed them to use AI in this way safely.” Nevertheless, “the adoption of AI by some therapists and many of their clients shows that the appeal of chatbots as therapeutic conversation partners continues to stick.”

Related Links:

— “The Washington Post (requires login and subscription)

Psychiatric News (11/7) reported, “More than 5 million adolescents and young adults in the United States have sought mental health advice from generative artificial intelligence (AI), according to a study.” The researchers said, “[These] high use rates likely reflect the low cost, immediacy, and perceived privacy of AI-based advice, particularly for youths unlikely to receive traditional counseling. … However, engagement with generative AI raises concerns, especially for users with intensive clinical needs.” The findings were published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “More Than One in Eight U.S. Youth Use AI Chatbots for Mental Health Advice, Psychiatric News , November 7, 2025

HealthDay (11/6, Thompson) reports a study found that “daily nicotine vaping nearly doubled between 2020 and 2024 among U.S. middle and high school students who use e-cigarettes.” According to the study, “the share of teen vapers who puff every day rose from 15% to nearly 29%.” Furthermore, “teens who vape daily also found it harder to quit their habit, researchers said. The percentage of daily vapers who unsuccessfully tried to quit rose from 28% to 53% during the same period.” The study was published in JAMA Network Open.

Related Links:

— “Teen Nicotine Vaping Trends Show Powerful Evidence Of Addiction,”Dennis Thompson, HealthDay , November 6, 2025